Blade frame assembly for slicing machines



July 31, 1934. w BETTENDQRF 1,968,020

BLADE FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed March 51, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M Z.

im-M we HI 5 ATTORNEYS July 31, 1934. w. E. BETTENDORF 1, 2

BLADE FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed March 31, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M BY/{M rnkg d #15 ATTORNEY Patented July 31, 1934 FFICE BLADE FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR'SLICING MACHINES William E. Bettendorf, Davenport, Iowa, assignor,

by mesne assignments, to The Micro C'orporation,Bettendorf, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Application March 31, 1932,Serial No. 602,247

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to a multiple blade and blade frame assembly for slicing machines, and more particularly to such assemblies for use in bread slicing machines.

. 5 Heretofore it has been the practice in machines used in the commercial slicing of baked bread to employ a blade frame for supporting a series of cutter blades in alignmentwith each other in which each blade is mounted under tension by means of adjusting nuts and the like. No provisions were made in such'priorconstructions for placing the cutter blades under uniform tension. As a result of such non-uniform tensioning the bread would not be uniformly sliced. In many cases too much tension would be placed on one or more of the cutter blades which rendered them more susceptible to breakage. In'other cases insufiicient tension would be applied to the blades, which permitted objectionable deflection thereof and caused, as a result, wavy, uneven slices.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a multiple blade and frame assembly for slicing machines with means for placing the cutter blades under uniform tension.

Another object is to provide a multiple slicing blade and supporting frame with resilient means for uniformly tensioning the blades and with means for substantially preventing a change in the tensioning of the blade during operation thereof.

' A further object is to provide a rectangular shaped frame having a plurality of uniformly spaced cutter blades mounted thereon with compression springs for placing each blade under tension, all of the springs having the same characteristics and with a clamping means for substantially preventing a change of tensioning of each blade. With the above and other objects in view which will be apparent from the following detailed de-' scription, the present invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. j

In the drawings, which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the invention, v Figurev 1 is a front elevation of a blade frame showing a plurality of cutter blades mounted thereon; v p g Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged front view of the upper head piece of the blade frame, more clearly showing the mounting of the upper. end of 355 the cutter blades; a j

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1 showing the mounting of the lower ends of the cutter blades;

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 7 showing a modified means for clamping the blade frame;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of a blade frame having the construction of Fig. 6 incorporated therein;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. 3 showing a further modified mounting means for the cutter blade; 7

Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 1010 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a'section similar to Fig. 3 showing a still further modified means of mounting the cutter blades on the blade frame; and

Fig. 12 is a section taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 11.

In slicing machine constructions used for commercially slicing baked bread and other baked products, it is common'practice to employ two series of cutter blades so arranged that while one series is moving in one direction the other series is moving in the opposite direction, and furthermore so that each blade in one series is positioned between a pair of blades of the other series in order that the blades of both series will substantially simultaneously engage the article to be sliced. In order to arrange the cutter blades in this manner two blade frames are employed to simultaneously reciprocate in opposite directions, each of the blade frames carrying a series of cuttors.

The present invention, however, is directed to new and improved means for mounting the cutter blades on the blade frame in such manner as to obtain proper tensioning thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, the blade frame comprises a single casting of suitable metal that is provided with upper and lower head pieces 1 and 2, respectively, and side pieces 3 integrally interconnecting the head pieces 1 and 2. The side pieces 3 here shown are provided with cored-out portions to provide longitudinal passageways therein, as shown in dotted outline, for the reception of guide shafts (not shown).

The head pieces 1 and 2 gradually increase in depth from the side pieces 3 toward the center in order to give adequate strength thereto. The increase in thickness of metal occurs outwardly of the plane of the ends of the side pieces so that such metal will have a tendency to be placed under compression when the cutter blades 4 are mounted on the head pieces and placed under tens1on.

The cutter blades 4 extend between the head pieces 1 and 2 in uniformly spaced relation parallel to the direction of reciprocation of the blade frame, and are placed under the correct tension in a manner to be presently described.

The lower head piece is provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced, outwardly projecting lugs 5 which are provided with slots 6 slightly greater in width than the thickness of the cutter blades. These lugs are further provided with recesses '7 extending inwardly from the lower faces thereof. The cutter blades 4 are slid into the slots 6 and then moved upwardly so that outwardly extending buttons 8 at the lower ends of the blades will enter the recesses 7 and engage the bottoms thereof, the slots 6 serving to prevent turning of the lower ends of the blades. Other well known means, however, may be employed to hold the lower ends of the cutter blades in position.

The upper head piece 1 is provided with a series of outwardly extending lugs 9 in alignment with the series of lugs 5 on the lower head piece 2, and these lugs are of stepped construction, the furthermost portions being formed with openings 10, the axes thereof being coincident with the center lines of the slots 6 of the lower lugs 5 to receive the shank portions of blade mounting members 11, as shown in Fig. 3. These mounting members, as shown here, are provided with bifurcated head portions 12 which receive the upper ends of the cutter blades 4. The legs of these blade members 11 are formed with transversely arranged recesses 13 which receive outwardly extending buttons 14 at the upper ends of the blades 4.

The shanks of the blade mounting members 11 extend upwardly through the openings 10 at the outermost portions of the lugs 9 and also seat against the innermost step faces of the lugs 9.

As shown in Fig. 3, the shanks of the mounting members 11 extend a considerable distance beyond the lugs 9 and are provided at their ends with large diameter washers 15 which are rigidly held against the ends of the shanks'by suitable nuts 16.

The extending portions of the shanks of the blade members 11 are surrounded by compression springs 1'? which extend between the lugs 9 and the washers 15, thereby serving to place the cutter' blades 4 under tension.

The springs 17 employed all have the same compression characteristics, so that with blades of the same length the series of cutter blades 4 will be subjected to the same tension stresses, which, as previously described, will tend toward more even and more uniform slicing of the bread.

When it is desired to remove the blade frames for sharpening or other purposes, it is only necessary to compress the springs 17 a sufficient amount to allow the buttons 8 at the lower ends of the blade to disengage from the recesses 7 and the blade slipped out of the slot 6.

Means are provided for clamping the shanks of the blade members 11 against the upper head piece I after the blades 4 have been placed under the proper tension by the springs 17; in order to prevent any change in tension thereof during operation of the slicing machine. This is not done, however, until after all the blades have been assembled to the blade frame and placed under tension by the springs 17, so that undesirable stresses will not be imparted to the head pieces 1 and 2.

One means of clamping the blade frame members 11 is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to comprise a bolt 18 for each blade member that extends through an enlarged transverse opening 19 in the head piece 1 and through the innermost portion of the lug 9. This bolt is provided with an aperture 20 in its end to engage with the shank of the blade member 11 as shown in Fig. 4, and threads at its other end which extend through the head piece 1 to threadably receive a nut 21, a washer being'interposed between the nut 21 and the base of the head piece 1. After the blades 4 are assembled to the blade frame and placed under substantially uniform tension by the springs 17, the nuts 21 of the bolts 18 are tightened, which causes the apertured portions 20 of the bolts 18 to rigidly clamp the shanks of the blade members 11 against the inner steps of the outwardly projecting lug 9.

The result is obvious and since the blades are placed under uniform tension upon assembly to the blade frame, they will remain so during the operation by reason of the fact that the clamping bolts 18 prevent any substantial change in the tension of the blades. a

In view of the fact that the blades are all under approximately the same tension and rigidly held by the head pieces 1 and 2, there may be a tendency for the head pieces to bow slightly in wardly and be placed under tension, and as a result the tendency of one of these blades to be flexed will be overcome by the tension of the head pieces. In other words, a considerable portion of the head piece stresses are exerted against those blades that may inadvertently be deflected and tend to immediately straighten them.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 6, '7 and 8 the shank portion 30 of each blade frame member is guided in a pair of outwardly extending axially aligned lugs 31 secured to the upper cross piece 32 of the blade frame, and the tension is provided, as in the construction previously described, by a coil spring 33 surrounding the projecting end of the shank portion 30 and being in engagement with the uppermost lug 31 and a suitable washer 34 mounted at the threaded end of the shank 30. This portion of the mounting means is similar to the mounting means shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the head 35 of the blade supporting member is formed to substantial width and is provided with a flat surface adjacent the cross piece 32, the cross piece 32 being formed with a raised boss 36 which forms a seat for the flat surface of the head piece 35.

The head piece is rigidly clamped to the boss 36 where the same is used, or in the absence of a boss such as 36, to the cross piece 32 by means of a suitable cap screw37 that extends through an elongated opening 38 and threaded into the head 35 of the'blade supporting member..

' The cap screw 37 is not threaded into the head 35 to clamp the same against the cross piece 32 until after the correct tension is obtained in the cutter blade 39 by reason of the compression of.

the spring 33, and furthermore not until after the cutter blades have been assembled .to the blade frame so that the cutter blades will all be blade frame.

placed under substantially the same tension and maintained under that tension by means of the elongated opening 38 for each clamp being arranged I longitudinally of the blade supporting member so that the capscrew maybe moved with the blade supporting member during assembly of the cutter blade to the blade frame and during the tensioning of the cutter blade. The lower end of the cutter blade 39 is mounted in a manner similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 5 or in any other manner in which the lower end of the blade is held against a twisting movement. It is obvious that since the head piece in which the cutter blade is mounted is securely clamped to the cross piece 32, the upper end of the cutter blade will also be held against any twisting movement, with the result that the cutter blades will always be maintained in their proper positions.

The constructions shown in Figs. 9 and 11 carry out the same general idea of mounting the upper ends of the cutter blades in such a manner that they will be held against any possible twisting movement.

In the construction shownin Figs. 9 and 10 the blade supporting member 40 is clamped to the cross piece 41 in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 3, although in this construction the eye bolt 42 is arranged between a pair of spaced lugs 43 that are formed integral with the cross piece 41. The upper end of the cutter blade 44 adjacent the supporting member 40 is held against twisting movement by means of an outwardly extending lug 45 integral with the cross piece 41 and which is formed with a longitudinal slot 46 of only suflicient width to snugly receive the cutter blade, as shown in Fig. 10.

In the construction shown in Figs. 11 and 12 the shank 50 of the blade supporting member extends through a suitable eye bolt 51 and is clamped against arcuate seats formed in lugs 52 that are positioned at each side of the eye bolt 51, the lugs 52 being integral with the cross piece 53 of the blade frame. The shank 50 is also guided in an upper lug 54 and surrounded by a coil spring 55 which is arranged to place the cutter blade under tension. The cutter blade in this case is held against any possible twisting movement by means of an outwardly extending lug 56 formed integral with the cross piece 50 and having a longitudinal slot 5'7 which is of sufficient width to receive the head piece 58 of the blade supporting member with a very slight clearance.

In each of the constructions shown in Figs. 6,

Q 9 and 11 the cutter blades are placed under tension in substantially the same manner as the cutter blades of Fig. 3, and furthermore are held at their ends adjacent the cross pieces of the This may be accomplished in the manner shown in these views or, if desired, may be accomplished by forming flat portions on the shank of the blade supporting member which may be engaged with corresponding portions on the guiding lugs.

1 blade supporting means.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of explanation and i illustration and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can-be'made without departing'from my invention as defined in the appended claims. 7

What I claim is:

l. A blade and frame assembly fo'r bread slicing machines comprising, a pair of spaced head pieces, spaced side pieces interconnecting said head pieces, a pluralityof cutter blades extending between said head pieces, means for mounting one end of each blade to one of said head pieces and means for mounting the opposite end of each blade to the other of said head pieces including a lug'extending' outwardly from the lastmentioned head piece, a blade member carried by and extending through said lug and connected with the blade, spring means cooperating with said blade member to place the blade under tension, and means for rigidly clamping said blade member to said last mentioned head piece to hold the blade under such tension.

2. A blade and frame assembly for bread slicing machines comprising, a pair of spaced head pieces, spaced side pieces interconnecting said head pieces, a plurality of cutter blades extending between said head pieces, means for mounting one end of each blade to one of said head pieces and means for mounting the opposite end of each blade to the other of said head pieces including a lug extending .outwardly'from the last mentioned head piece, a blade member carried by said lug and connected with the blade, spring means cooperating with said blade member to place the blade under tension, and a clamp to rigidly clamp said blade memberagainst the last mentioned head piece.

3. A blade and frame assembly for bread slicing machines comprising, a pair of spaced head pieces, spaced side pieces interconnecting said head pieces, a plurality of cutter blades extending between said head pieces, means for mounting one end of y each blade to one of said head pieces and means for mounting the opposite end of each blade to the other of said head pieces including a lug extending outwardly from the last mentioned head piece, a blade member connected with the blade and having a portion extending through and beyond the said lug, a coil compression spring surrounding the extending portion and seating on said lug at one end, and a spring seat member carried by said extending portion to engage the op- "ff head pieces, a plurality of cutter blades extending between said head pieces, and mounting means on said head pieces for said blade, the mounting means on one of said head pieces comprising outwardly extending lugs engageable with the adjacent ends of said blades, and the mounting means on the other of said head pieces comprising outwardly extending lugs, blade members attached to the adjacent ends of said blades and carried by and extending through said lugs, and springs associated with said blade members and lugs to place said blades under tension, all of said springs having uniform characteristics, and means for rigidly clamping said blade members against longitudinal movement to maintain the blades under such tension.

(a. .LUI

v 5. A- blade and frame assembly for breadslicing machines comprising, a pairof spaced 7 head pieces, spaced side pieces interconnecting said head pieces, a plurality of cutter blades extending between said head pieces, and mounting means on said'head pieces for said blade, the mounting means on one of said head pieces comprising outwardly extending lugs engageable with the adjacent ends of said blades, and the mounting means on the other of said head pieces comprising outwardly extending lugs, blade members attached to the adjacent ends of said blades and carried by said lugs, springs'assoeiated-With said blade members to place said blades under tension, all of said springs having uniform characteristics, and clamps carried by the last mentioned, head piece to rigidly clamp each blade member while the blade is under tension.

6. A blade and frame assembly for bread slic ing machines comprising, a pair of spaced head pieces, spaced side pieces interconnecting said .head pieces, a plurality of cutter blades extend,- ing between said head pieces, and-mounting means on said headpieces for said blade, the mounting means on one of said head piecescomprising outwardly extending lugs engageable with the adjacent ends of said blades, and'the mounting means ,on the other of said headpieces comprising outwardly extending lugs, blade members attached to the adjacent ends of said blades and carriedby said lugs, springs associated with said blade members to place said blades under tension,

all of said springs having uniform characteristics, and clamps carriedby the last mentioned head piece to rigidly clamp each blade 'member while the bladeis under tension, said first mentioned lugs and clampsvholding the ends of said blades against movement in any direction. 1

7. 'A blade and frame assembly for slicing machines comprising, a pair of. spaced cross pieces,

spaced side pieces interconnecting said cross pieces, aplurality of cutter blades extending between said cross pieces, means for mounting an end of each-blade to one of said cross pieces and means for mountingthe opposite endof each blade to the other of said cross pieces, said last mentioned means including a lug extending outwardly from the last mentioned cross-piece, .a blade supporting member having a shank extend ing through and guided by said outwardly extending lug, spring means cooperating with said blade supporting member and lug to place said blade under tension, said blade supporting member having a head thereon abutting against said last mentioned cross piece, and bolt means for rigidly clamping said head to said last mentioned cross piece whereby to hold said head against movement in any direction after said blade has been placedunder tension. WILLIAM E, BETTE'NDORF. 

